The 5G/6G Hub – based at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) at Harwell in the UK – is a place for collaboration and innovation, where industry will take advantage of the immense potential of converged satellite and terrestrial telecommunications networks to create advanced applications that benefit society and the environment. Benefiting from the support of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) the Hub fits into the UK Government’s 5G and 6G strategy.
While initially focused on 5G, as the connectivity transformation continues, a further generation, 6G, will become part of the Hub and provide even greater capacity.
Developed with information technology company CGI, the 5G/6G Hub enables three types of activities, through the provision of a private 5G network with SatCom connectivity in a business-driven facility designed to engage the wider community.
• Events and Showcases
The ESA 5G/6G Hub provides a focal point at the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus from where the capabilities enabled by innovative uses of 5G and SatCom technologies can be demonstrated to VIPs, industry, and the general public.
• Engineering Demonstrations and Applications
The ESA 5G Hub provides a location at which Application Developers and Service Providers can come together to test and verify the feasibility and benefits of their 5G converged network applications and services.
• Engineering Lab
The ESA 5G Hub provides an engineering lab within which technical engineering and support can be provided to demonstrate and integrate new 5G and SatCom capabilities and equipment functionalities.
Each of these activities supports the other. The Engineering Lab supports the development of Demonstrators and Applications, and these Demonstrators and Applications support the outreach activities. The support of ESA ensures that the environment is considered “open”: it supports multiple satellite service providers and potentially multiple core networks, radio access nodes etc.
The 5G/6G Hub is a gateway for commercialisation of space-enabled business ideas and multi-domain collaboration. Stakeholders from all vertical sectors are welcome to come and see how hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks can contribute to their business.
ESA’s ambition is to extend the Hub’s technology to cover businesses at the Harwell Campus, and then across Europe and beyond to connect with other research facilities, fostering innovation in ESA’s member states and globally. The 5G/6G Hub forms an integral part of ESA’s wider efforts to use space technology to enable connectivity.
ESA 5G/6G VIRTUAL TOUR
FEATURED OPPORTUNITIES
NEWS AND EVENTS
European Space Agency reinforces role of Non-Terrestrial Networks as part of global 6G vision
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space for 5G/6G Programme Office co-organised the first ETSI Conference, which focused on how Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) will natively integrate with Terrestrial Networks (TN) in…
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space for 5G/6G programme line, part of the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications, contributed to the winning team at the SATELLITE 2024 conference in Washington DC,…
Agenda released for European Space Agency co-organised “Non-Terrestrial Networks,…
The agenda for an ETSI event co-organised with the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Space for 5G/6G programme on integrating Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) into 6G systems, has been released and will allow for industry and…
5G/6G Hub’s metaverse to connect industry and academia online and at Mobile World Congress
In an effort to showcase the European Space Agency's (ESA) work in the integration of satellite and terrestrial communications, engineers of the Space for 5G/6G programme line have created a virtual environment based on the GSMA…
European Space Agency’s 5G/6G Hub takes part in real-world demonstration of key t…
A real-world demonstration of a key technology, being developed in partnership with the European Space Agency's (ESA) Space for 5G/6G programme line, has been conducted by advanced networking and laser communications technologies company Aalyria…
European Space Agency-funded continuously connected autonomous shuttle completes two-year trial
A two-year trial for a UK-based autonomous vehicle, which makes use of communications technology developed by the Darwin Innovation Group and co-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK Space Agency, has been successful. The milestone…
European Space Agency and GSOA sign agreement to unlock potential in 5G and 6G technology
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA), which will see the strengthening of the synergy between satellite and terrestrial telecommunications…
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) with the Space Research Center at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich (UniBw M).
ESA agreement with GSMA accelerates satcom network integration for mobile industry
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a landmark agreement with GSMA, heralding a major step forward in links between the mobile and satellite industries, and the accelerated integration of satellite-terrestrial connectivity.
Non-Terrestrial Networks are the leitmotif at EuCNC & 6G Summit 2023
In a workshop jointly organised by ESA and Eurescom GmbH in June in Gothenburg, Non-Terrestrial Networks – or ‘NTNs’ turned out to be the major talking point – and quite possibly the hottest topic on the table.
Aligning European NTN Convergence and Integration
3GPP has completed Release-17 of the global fifth generation (5G) wireless technology standard, making Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) and satellite segments part of the 5G/6G connectivity infrastructure and ecosystem. NTN multi-layer systems and…
SatixFy Prime 1 beamformer chip breaks into new 5G terrestrial market
SatixFy have agreed the first sale of their Prime 1 beamformer into the terrestrial 5G market, in a significant deal with India-based Astrome. Developed with the support of the UK Space Agency via the European Space Agency’s ARTES Core…